A London woman who survived breast cancer isn’t faring so well against city bylaw officers who fined her $2,260 for providing a service to patients that medical staff say is invaluable.
For more than three years, the woman has been a regular at an outpatient clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital, providing rides to and from the clinic to patients who aren’t allowed to drive after being sedated for procedures such as endoscopies and colonoscopies.
She refused tips, at first charged only $10 round trip, an amount to cover the costs of gas and maintenance, her work so appreciated by medical staff that many consider her a critical volunteer. She offers to get patients safely situated at home, rather than drop them off at the curb.
But years of good deeds may have come to an end after bylaw officers arranged a sting operation Feb. 15: An enforcement officer called her for a ride, saying he was a patient getting a colonoscopy; she even providing words of reassurance on the ride to the hospital. But after he paid her, another enforcement officer ran over and issued her two tickets for owning and operating a vehicle for hire without a licence.
“I’m devastated,” she said. “I had cancer and I just wanted to give back to the community.”
The 58-year-old woman does not want to be identified by name, because she relies on provincial disability payments that might be clawed back or subjected to bureaucratic barriers if officials knew what she’s been doing.
It was eight years ago that a mammogram found what turned out to be Stage 3 breast cancer, the second-worst kind, a diagnosis that brought with it chemotherapy, surgery and radiation and the end to a 30-year career in retail.
“I battled it for two years. I lost my hair. You lose your dignity,” she said. “I’m very fortunate to be here and that’s why I wanted to give back because I know the good Lord gave me a second chance.”
It was when she later had her own colonoscopy that she saw how badly in need the hospital was for drivers. The options that did exist were prohibitively expensive.
Since then, she’s provided about 20 round-trip rides a month, raising her price to $12 this year.
Patients are greeted with a bottle of water, a friendly greeting and a reassuring hand.
“I treat them well, the way I want to be treated,” she said.
Her clients include a couple of police officers.
That’s why she was stunned that she became the target of a sting by bylaw enforcement.
“I’m really heart-struck. I can’t believe (the city) actually pulled this on me . . . It’s not like I’m actually making money on this.”
The head of city bylaw enforcement, Orest Katolyk, confirms the city investigated after receiving a complaint and that charges were laid, but that he doesn’t discuss specific charges or operating techniques.
The possible loss of her service has angered doctors and staff, said Chris Vinden, who performs endoscopies and colonoscopies.
“From my point of view, she is providing a service to the hospital . . . It makes the hospital run more efficiently,” he said.
Between 40 and 50 people come each day the clinic is open, and while most arrange for another adult to drive them, some do not, either because their spouse can’t afford to take a day off, they’re elderly and don’t have friends who drive or they don’t have an adult friend to ask.
“(She) solved a lot of problems for us,” Vinden said.
If she can’t resume her service, some patients may delay needed procedures, he said.
The woman also faces a $450 bill for paralegals to represent her in dealing with the bylaw charges.
London city council created a vehicle-for hire bylaw in April to deal with the arrival of rideshare giant Uber, whose presence shook the traditional taxi industry.